Category Archives: Europe

From pacifism to nonviolence in Berlin

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article by Gabriela Amaya from Pressenza (reprinted according to Creative Commons)

With the slogan “Reconciliation is the only path to peace”, on the 1st of October, the eve of the International Day of Nonviolence, hundreds of people formed a human peace symbol in Berlin that then transformed into the symbol of nonviolence, coinciding with the celebration of the day itself in numerous points of the planet.

The event took place within the World Congress of the International Peace Bureau, in Berlin’s Ernst-Reuter-Platz on the initiative of this international news agency.

Berlin
Click on photos to enlarge
(Image by Pressenza Berlin)

The wellknown form of the peace symbol was transformed at a certain moment into the nonviolence symbol representing the need to advance from the field of pacifism to the field of nonviolence, something which implies the recognition of different forms of violence, not only physical violence whose greatest expression is war, but also economic, racial, religious, generational, sexual, psychological and moral violence among others.

Nonviolence assumes a lifestyle in everyday life which is based on the universal moral principle, “Treat others as you would like them to treat you.”

The words in the mouths of persons of different ages and geographical lattitudes, and the pictures that accompany this text are a better explanation of this meaningful and inspiring act.

Tomorrow, the 2nd of October, the anniversary Gandhi’s birthday, is the International Day of Nonviolence.

We are here today to celebrate it, illuminating the darkness of this moment with the simple light of our phones and with the powerful force of our best aspirations.

There are many people like us in the world, people who have struggled for peace and who believe that violence is not natural and can be surpassed.

And that’s why we are not only in this square in Berlin because around the world, many events are taking place in these days: flash mobs, music, theatre, films, videos, photos for nonviolence, courses in schools, workshops for children and adults, and so on. These events are too many to mention them all, but we want to greet the people and organisations that are raising their voices up for a new Humanism, an historical moment of reconciliation, and a climate of peace and disarmament.

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Click here for article in French or here for article in Spanish)

Question for this article:

Can peace be guaranteed through nonviolent means?

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And now we turn our lights on!

In this moment, the living symbol of peace is illuminated by the light of our phones, while we invite you to meditate…

Today we are here to send a sign of support to the millions of people around the world who are demanding peace.

To send a sign of hope for all those who are living in war. To let them know that we haven’t forgotten them.

To send a sign of relief to those who want peace, but who are not yet here with us.

To send a sign to ourselves, so that we never forget the importance and value of what we do.

To send a warning to those who feed wars and violence, so that they know that we are not asleep.

So that they know that a new culture of peace and nonviolence is being born.

And now we are going to form the living sign of nonviolence!

We condemn dehumanisation, oppression and violence in all its forms – physical, economic, racial, religious, ecological, psychological, gender and moral.

We refuse to continue enchained to a mechanical culture of resentment, guilt and revenge, and we launch an intentional, person and social nonviolent revolution.

We will not accept a closed future for human beings and our planet.

We demand the right for all human beings to be happy and free. Free of external and internal ties, free from pain and suffering.

So, connected with what makes us human inside ourselves, let’s take a deep breath and carry it to the depths of our hearts, asking to surpass violence. And from the depths of our hearts, we commit ourselves here to give the best of ourselves to build a culture of peace and nonviolence, seeking what unites us, creating bridges between human beings and working for reconciliation with ourselves, between individuals and entire peoples.

For everyone: Peace, Force and Joy!

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe

Swedish government wants to reward citizens who repair instead of toss

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article by Matt Hickman for Mother Nature Network (reprinted by permission)

Last week, the always-enviable country of Sweden unveiled yet another forward-thinking maneuver geared to make all other developed nations look positively backwards in comparison. The maneuver in question, crafted by the country’s ruling Social Democrat and Green Party coalition, comes in the form of a parliamentary proposal that would usher in tax breaks that reward Swedes who opt to send off consumer goods such as bicycles, clothing and shoes for minor mending and repairs instead of chucking said items in the trash and replacing them with new ones. This would be achieved by lowering the rate of the value-added tax (VAT) applied to the professional repair of such items from 25 percent to 12 percent.

sweden

An additional incentive introduced to Swedish Parliament would offer tax refunds — half the labor cost of repairs — to those who fix bigger ticket items including home appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and ovens. As noted by the BBC, Swedes can already recoup 50 percent of labor costs of “paid house work” such as employing a handyman or cleaning person from their annual income taxes.

“I believe there is a shift in view in Sweden at the moment. There is an increased knowledge that we need to make our things last longer in order to reduce materials’ consumption,” Per Bolund, the country’s Minister For Financial Markets and Consumer Affairs, explains to The Guardian. “We believe that this [the proposed tax breaks] could substantially lower the cost and so make it more rational economic behaviour to repair your goods.”

Bolund anticipates that by offering generous tax breaks on appliance repairs, more waste-conscious Swedes will be encouraged to fix instead of toss. This, in turn, will foster a thriving repairs industry and create new blue-collar job opportunities for the country’s immigrant population.

“Consumer are quite active in changing both what they buy and how they buy in Sweden, to change the environmental impact, so we see a huge increase in the sale of organic food, and we also see that the interest in the ‘sharing’ economy and the ‘circular’ economy is growing quite rapidly,” Bolund adds to the BBC.

Sweden, unfailingly humble one-upper that it is, has proven itself to be at the top of the game when it comes to planet-bettering schemes such as eliminating its reliance on fossil fuels and recycling, an activity that Swedes are so skilled at that it’s created a national garbage deficit — and for a country that relies on waste-to-energy incinerators to heat homes, that’s not necessarily a good thing. However, the governments of other nations have also embraced the art of repairing as an alternative to sending perfectly fixable items to the landfill.

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Question for this article:

What is the relation between the environment and peace?

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Take for example France, which, in 2015 passed a law outlawing planned obsolescence and requiring manufacturers to offer consumers free repairs or replacement parts on appliances up to two years after the date of purchase. Like the proposals in Sweden, the French law — Germany and Norway have similar laws on the books, as well — aims to curb the amount of waste entering landfills, keep money in the pockets of hand wringing-prone consumers and generate jobs in the appliance repair sector.

In other countries, the act of repairing in lieu of chucking is less about mandates and 21st century environmental do-goodery and more about upholding ages-old cultural traditions. Take Japan, for example, where broken yet still-valuable ceramics are meticulously mended in a fix-it-centric art form known as kintsugi. After undoing the traditional kintsugi process, shattered bowls and plates and the like are considered more beautiful — and valuable — than they were before the breakage occurred.

Jugaad — a Hindi word that essentially translates to “a hack” — is practiced throughout India. The idea here is to apply ingenious, duct tape-heavy fixes to broken or on-their-way items instead of trashing them.

The Netherlands is the birthplace of the Repair Café Foundation, a popular grassroots nonprofit that promotes community gathering spots where, as the New York Times describes, “neighbors pool their skills and labor for a few hours a month to mend holey clothing and revivify old coffee makers, broken lamps, vacuum cleaners and toasters, as well as at least one electric organ, a washing machine and an orange juice press.” While the movement was borne in Amsterdam and in its infancy remained largely a Dutch phenomenon, repair cafes have appeared in more than 29 countries spread out across every continent.

And then there’s Ireland.

While Dutch-style pop-up repair cafes have also appeared in Irish cities such as Dublin, the Emerald Isle’s greatest contribution to the fix-it movement will forever be Sugru, the putty-like miracle goo that can be used to repair just about everything. And I mean everything. Marketed as the “world’s first mouldable glue,” the idea for Sugru — a riff on sugradh, the Irish word for “play — was developed by Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh, a product designer hailing from Kilkenny. “I wanted to design something that was so easy and so fun to use that more people would consider fixing things again,” Ni Dhulchaointigh recently told the New York Times.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter who sent us this article.)

Europe, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Russia and Ukraine: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following events were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 17-24 under the titles for the International Day of Peace in Russian (“Международный день мира”) and Ukrainian (“Міжнародний день миру”). For events elsewhere in the world, click here.

map or russia:ukraine
(Click on image to enlarge)

As you can see from the preceding map, there were articles about 24 events in these countries.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

Lutsk, Ukraine Students and teachers of the Lutsk gymnasium №4 celebrated the International Day of Peace with a flashmob, “We are for peace.”

Kovelchany, Ukraine: In Kovelchany city the audience was told that the International Day of Peace was proclaimed by the General Assembly to perpetuate the ideals of peace both in relations within states and among all nations and peoples. At the end of the children released in sky blue and yellow balloons and pigeons with wishes, hopes and expectations that Ukraine will be a peaceful and happy state .

Kalush, Ukraine: “Let there be peace in our native Ukraine!” Under this slogan, youth celebrated the International Day of Peace at the Kalush branch library. Unfortunately, there is ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine, Not all schools are open. Some are destroyed, in others there is no one to teach.

Poltava, Ukraine: About a hundred students gathered to mark the International Peace Day in Poltava with a flashmob “Dove of Peace”. Among them were students of Lugansk who fled to Poltova during the war.

Kiev, Ukraine: A peace march was attended by representatives of local government and central government authorities, UN representatives, NGOs veterans, participants in anti-terrorist operations and Kiev Youth. The solemn procession was held from Ukraine memorial to soldiers who fell in Afghanistan, the National Museum of History of Ukraine in World War II. People carried banners with the words: “We vote for peace” as well as flowers.

Pokrovsk, Ukraine: In school №2, an exhibition of drawings “World Without War”, symbolized the right of children to live in joy, love, and friendship under a peaceful sky. Children in primary school and high school students took part in the exhibition.

Kremenchuk, Ukraine: By tradition every year on the Day of Peace, Kremenchuk receives a delegation from Indonesia. The delegation was warmly welcomed by representatives of the Kremenchug city authorities. They were taken to the Peace Park, for the ceremony “Dzvony Gong of the World.”

Berdyansk, Ukraine:
Berdyansk took part in the international project for a mural dedicated to the day of peace. The winner was the work of the photographer-designer Darina Polovets “haven of peace”.

Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine: On the International Day of Peace Dnipropetrovsk held a Regional Roundtable for the “Women for Peace” national platform. Natalia Nacharyan, deputy of Dnipropetrovsk City Council, said, “Women have an inherent nature of diplomacy, and at the same time a strong will. Therefore, today joined forces, we require a national dialogue in order to achieve peace, mutual understanding and social well-being in Ukraine.” The executive director of the Fund” Ukrainian Perspective “Oksana Zhivaga said “Every day we help peaceful people affected by the war – displaced and wounded. This is a real contribution for the peace and unity of our country.”

Sevastopol, Russia/Ukraine: Doves of peace were released In Sevastopol for the International Day of Peace. The head of the Sevastopol Parliament Ekaterina Altabaeva said “This year for our country is special. October marks 75 years since the heroic defense of Sevastopol in the Great Patriotic war. “We must not allow repetition of the terrible tragedies that war brings.”

Brest, Belarus: On the International Day of Peace in Brest, lamps were set adrift on the canal in favor of life without war and violence. Children enjoyed performances of jugglers and magicians. And then the children released white doves into the sky – a symbol of peace.

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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Vladivostok, Russia: On Wednesday, September 21, at the sports waterfront Vladivostok held the action “Let there be peace,” in honor of the International Day of Peace, The action was aimed at attracting the attention of citizens to wish to live, and to recall the heroism of their ancestors.

Stavropol, Russia: In the central square of the Alexander village a children’s program “Peaceful fun”, was dedicated to the International Day of Peace. The event was opened by a small group of the choir of the Stavropol Territory.

Kurgan, Russia: The celebration took place in three stages. At first the townspeople gathered pre-formed doves of peace, second they created their own, third – the participants drew “Dove of Peace” by Picasso. All crafts could be taken home or given to someone. Later hand in hand, participants created a large circle as a symbol of friendship and cooperation among peoples.

Volgograd, Russia: Thousands of bells rang out at Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd as students and delegates from 60 regions of Russia, near-abroad countries and the Baltic states voted for peace.

Serov, Russia: International Day of Peace was celebrated in Serov by students of schools of the city at the square in front of leisure center “Rodina”. They carried yellow balloons and hand-written posters such as “No to war!”, “Happy World! Peace one day”, “Let there be happiness on the planet.”

Moscow, Russia: Every year, the school “Promo-M” celebrates the International Day of Peace. This year the them was the “sustainable development goals” of the United Nations. After singing John Lennon’s song «Imagine» each student hit the Peace Bell to commemorate the victims of war and fighting.

Astrakhan, Russia: The social and health center “Zdravushka” showed a film about Peace Day, following which pensioners left messages on the “Tree of Good” in the form of paper doves symbolizing harmony, world peace and friendship. The Narimanov integrated center organized an event “Let there be peace,” for parents and children involved in the social services.

Kazan, Russia: On the International Day of Peace, the Kazan Federal University held a celebration dedicated to the international round table “Prevention of terrorist and extremist behavior of young people in the Internet space: traditional and innovative forms.” The organizer of this event was the Department of Conflictology of the Institute of Social and Philosophical Sciences and Mass Communications.

Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia:
For the 8th time, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District government organized the “Peace in the world” youth festival. This time it was held in August in the Town of Kiten, Republic of Bulgaria. About 170 people between the ages of 18 and 30 from 22 Russian Federation constituencies and countries of the near and far abroad took part in the event. The “Peace Formula” creation was the main focus of the event. The “Formula” will consists of initiatives presented by constituencies or countries and aimed towards achieving Global Peace. All the ideas were refined into a final decision to culminate in a flashmob, event, or contest conducted on September 21, the International Day of Peace.

Biysk, Russia: For the International Day of Peace, students from the Bijskogo State College took part in a flashmob action “dove of peace” releasing white paper doves, tied to balloons, filled with helium.

Magnitogorsk, Russia: The schoolchildren of Chelyabinsk region launched into the sky thousands of white paper doves to celebrate the International Day of Peace.

Murmansk, Russia: Sponsored by the public organization “Murmansk Association of youth” and municipal autonomous institution “House of youth”, citizens of Murmansk will take part in the campaign “Dove of Peace” in the city center on Leningrad Street.

Nekrasovka, Russia: The International Day of Peace was celebrated with a festive program called “Peace and Harmony” including a concert organized by residents of the district. The newspaper “Voice of Nekrasovka” published a photo report from the scene.

Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Western Europe: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following events were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 17-14 under the following key words:
“International day of peace”,
“Journée internationale de la paix,”
“Día Internacional de Paz,”
“Dia Internacional da Paz”
“Tag des Friedens”
“Friedenstags”
“Giornata Internazionale della Pace”

map of western europe idp
(Click on image to enlarge)

No doubt there were articles in other national languages that are not listed here. For events elsewhere in the world, click here.

As seen on the map above, there were articles about 29 events in 8 Western European countries found by this method.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

Assisi, Italy: “Thirst for Peace. “From 18 to 20 September 2016, more than 500 officials from nine major religions converged in Assisi, Italy, for an interreligious meeting organized under the auspices of the Community Santegidio. T hirty years after the historic initiative of John Paul II, Pope Francis celebrated the spirit of peace, with representatives of all other religions. An appeal signed by all participants at the end of the meeting, is reproduced here for the International Day of Peace.

Cervia, Italy: Cervia celebrated the International Day of Peace in cooperation with a Skype connection with the seat of Mayors for Peace in Hiroshima. The recall of the destruction of Hiroshima reverberated with the recent damage from the earthquake in Italy.

Banchette, Torino, Italy: The banner in the colors of Peace was launched into heaven, dragged up by a dozen white balloons, this morning by 200 elementary school students of the Walter Fillak school. The children engaged in the reading of poems and songs by Gianni Rodari, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, stressing the importance of brotherhood and peace.

Ventimiglia, Italy: The pupils of the Nervia Primary school arranged themselves to form the peace symbol. A simple gesture, a representation, a thought, but effective to commemorate the International Day of Peace.

Roma, Italy: On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the Austrian Forum of Culture in Rome announced the finalists for the best picture of peace, in the 2016 edition of the Alfred Fried Photography Award which was initiated in 2013 in collaboration with UNESCO.

Bonn, Germany In Bonn therre were many events for peace day, beginning on Tuesday evening with a discussion in the Old Town Hall about how civilian groups can participate better in peace negotiations.

Duisburg, Germany: The Explorado museum of Duisburg is one of five children museums from five countries taking part in an international art project. The project, presented on World Peace Day, includes screens painted by more than 300 children.

Augsburg, Germany: Numerous, people gathered on the Moritzplatz to launch balloons for peace. The idea for the campaign comes from the Catholic German Women’s Federation. “We want to set an example for humanity and peace,” said diocesan Chairman Ulrike Stowasser. “We want to show our solidarity for refugees and their volunteer helpers.”

Bergstadt, Germany: People gathered to mark the International Day of Peace in the marketplace. “We are a small club with 15 members,” said Lisa Interschick from the local peace movement, but she was pleased with the many visitors who had gathered to pray. During the event texts were presented on non-violence and reconciliation, as prayers for peace. All visitors were given a rose.

Hammersmith, England: White balloons bearing messages of peace and happiness were released in Hammersmith to mark the International Day of Peace. The special event, which was attended by school children and Hammersmith and Fulham mayor Mercy Umeh, took place in Lyric Square. Dozens of school kids from Phoenix High school, St Paul’s primary, Normand Croft, Larmenier and Sacred Heart and Brackenbury primary supported the event’s peace pledge by signing tags and attaching them to the balloons.

Lisburn, Northern Ireland: Around 3,500 young people from schools and youth clubs across Northern Ireland are attending an event in Lisburn, to coincide with the United Nations International Day of Peace. The Amazing the Space programme fused musical performances from local young people with messages from international speakers with experience of living in conflict zones. A further 1,500 people will attend similar events at five satellite venues in Ballymena, Londonderry, Enniskillen, Bessbrook and Magherafelt.

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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Chigwell, England: Children at West Hatch High School in Chigwell took part in assemblies on issues such as the suffering caused by war, and pupils wrote messages on a ‘Tree of Peace’ in the school’s entrance hall to the victims of conflict. Organiser and school counsellor Sarah O’Donnell said: “Peace every day is the goal but focussing on a particular day is helpful for us all: peacefulness is important in our own lives, in our families, at work, in school and in our wider social lives.”

Isle of Wight, England: Doves were released in St Thomas’ Square by Sunrise Vectis Rotary, and a prayer was said by Rev Janet Hallam. Pauline Martin, who was one of those behind the gathering, said: “As the Rotary is an international group, it’s great to mark the day and raise awareness, especially considering events happening in today’s world.”

Oldham, UK: The Oldham Council organized a series of events to engage the public, schools, the community, faith groups and businesses in Oldham. The council became the first local authority in the UK to sign the Pledge to Peace in 2015; a commitment to put in place projects and actions promoting a culture of peace in the borough. Since then 13 local organisations have joined in signing the pledge and formed the Oldham Pledge to Peace Forum.

Portlaoise, Ireland: The Portlaoise Parish parish hosted an interfaith prayer service for members of the Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Baha’i, Bhuddist and Christian faiths.

Marseilles, France: On September 24, the International Day of Peace will resound on the Old Port of Marseilles when a collective of twenty associations state an emergency “march for peace”.

Gennevillers, France: Rainbow rainbow streamers, cardboard doves and optimism. On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, dozens of children from Gennevilliers leisure centers massed on the steps of City Hall. They raised the flag of peace and read messages of hope to send to the children of the sister cities of Gennevilliers.

Gonfreville-l’Orcher, Normandy, France: On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the City of Gonfreville, member of the French Association of municipalities, departments and regions for Peace (AFCDRP) and the global network of Mayors for Peace ( “Mayors for Peace”) , invited the Hiroshima Junior Marimba Ensemble to give a concert for peace.

La Rochelle, France: The La Rochelle collective for diversity offers a day punctuated by meetings and workshops that will demonstrate that talent is stronger than discrimination! We are reminded that diversity and differences when they are accepted, respected and promoted are the force of our Republic and not a handicap.

Caen, France: The Movement for Peace and several associations including Hérouville-Esperanto an Pax Christi, organized 4 hours of discussions for peace in the Caen Memorial with the goal to promote a culture of peace.

Alpes du Sud, France: The Mouvement de la Paix organized for the International Day of Peace, videos, discussions, and an all-day concert.

Molenbeek, Belgium: As part of the International Day of peace, the Foyer Molenbeek produced a video in which children talk about what peace means to them.

Alcobendas, España: Padre Angel, president of Messengers of Peace,and the Mayor of Alcobendas were present at the Peace Day ceremony along with other officials and dignitaries. The Mayor renewed the commitment of Alcobendas “to work for peace and use all means at our disposal to ensure the best horizon for future generations” and ended his words with a quote from Benjamin Franklin: “We must all walk together towards peace or we’ll never find it.”

Tudela, Navarra, España: The Government of Navarra commemorated the International Day of Peace with an official ceremony to recognize the work of forensic anthropologist Paco Etxeberria and the memorialist associations for having developed “an important role in the exhumation of the victims of 1936.”

Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, España: Murals for peace: In the Institute for Secondary Education Fray Diego Tadeo of Ciudad Rodrigo two large panels were made available for all members of the educational community to put sentences or drawings related to peace.

Maspalomas, Canrias, España: This tourist resort celebrated International Day of Peace and its recent nomination as a Rotary Peace City. This award is the first to be granted to a Spanish city, and the fourth in Europe after Jersey (Great Britain), Cannes (France) and Zenna (Serbia).

Posadas, Córdoba, España: Teachers and students from different schools of Posadas made a peace walk. According to Estela Martinez, Director of Misiones Cuatro, “We decided to do this walk for kids to demonstrate the value of peace, a value for we have worked since childhood, for respect, for love, and for fellowship without violence or bullying,

Mealhada, Aveiro, Portugal: On the occasion of the International Peace Day children from the Children’s House and users of the Santa Casa da Misericordia distributed white flowers as a symbol of peace on the local streets and shops of the city of Aveiro.

Almería, Spain: The NGO Movement for Peace was launched today, coinciding with the International Day of Peace. It is a new campaign whose main objective is to commemorate this day remembering that thousands of people around the world pass this day without having the full right to peace. They are launching an initiative for microdonations for the maintenance of a mobile clinic for disabled Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

The Elders hail Germany’s engagement on refugee and migration issues

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

A press release from The Elders

The Elders today welcomed Germany’s engagement and efforts on refugee and migration issues, and called for greater European and global responsibility-sharing as part of a wider, comprehensive approach.

Kofi Annan, Martti Ahtisaari and Lakhdar Brahimi made their call following meetings with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal President Joachim Gauck, business leaders, civil society groups and refugees themselves during the two-day visit to Berlin – the first official visit to Germany by The Elders.

germany

Kofi Annan, Chair of The Elders, said:

“We applaud Germany’s leadership on refugees and migration, and the bold decisions taken by Chancellor Merkel, Foreign Minister Steinmeier and the coalition government. These are complex, long-term issues that require far-sighted, compassionate leadership. The answer can never be to erect walls, or to claim that militarised borders or detention of migrants will stem the flow of desperate people.

We have been heartened by our meetings with political and business leaders, and especially with refugees themselves and the volunteers from all sections of German society who have made such selfless efforts to help people in need.”

The Elders also launched a new report on refugees and migration during their visit, setting out four key principles that should govern the world’s approach to these complex issues. They believe that:

1. Response mechanisms to large flows of people must be developed and properly coordinated, both regionally and internationally.

2. Assistance to major refugee-hosting countries must be enhanced.

3. Resettlement opportunities must be increased, along with additional pathways for admission.

4. Human rights and refugee protection must be upheld and strengthened.

The Elders will continue to advocate these positions at a global level, including at the United Nations General Assembly and Refugee Summit next week in New York, and seek to ensure that the voices of refugees and migrants themselves are heard and respected as part of a truly compassionate, comprehensive policy approach.

Question for this article
Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

The story of the first Spanish renewable energy cooperative

.. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ..

An article by Ula Papajak on 350.org (reprinted in accordance with the “mission of building a global movement to solve the climate crisis”)

In 2010 Gijsbert Huijink and a group of friends launched a campaign to find 350 people to join the first renewable energy cooperative in Spain. Six years later Som Energia reached 27,000 members, 37,000 customers and is now generating enough renewable energy to meet the annual needs of 3,200 families!

energy
Photo from Som Energia Cooperativa

Huijink explains how, despite the legislative barriers and the financial crisis, he and a group of friends managed to run a successful cooperative.

SOM Energia produces electricity from its own renewable energy sources (sun, wind, biogas, biomass) and is funded with voluntary financial contributions of its members. The cooperative is organized horizontally, with local autonomous groups in towns and cities who determine the future of the organization. It currently sells its electricity at cost price lower than the price offered at the conventional electricity market. The price of each kWh is half a cent cheaper than the market price.

How did it all start?

– When I moved to Spain with my wife in 2005, we bought an old farm – explains Huijink. – We were so surprised how difficult it was to get the electricity there. At first we were looking into installing solar panels and batteries – says Huijink – then we became interested in putting up a small wind turbine next to our house. But then we got to legislation, the economic and practical parts and it all started getting more complicated…after some time I realized that it would be much easier to invest with other people in a bigger wind turbine. I started to look for a cooperative in Spain and couldn’t find any existing one, so I decided to set one up. I shared the idea with friends and before I knew it, lots of friends were interested.

In December 2010 157 people joined together with the common aim to produce and consume their own renewable energy. In January 2011 they started to work on applying for all necessary permits and by October the service was launched, initially for just a few hundred clients.

Overcoming the odds

– Finally a first PV project of 100 kW on an industrial building in Lleida was selected – explains Huijink. The installation started in early 2012 and by April it was fully functional. Consequently 8 other projects were selected and realized, leading to a portfolio of 732 kWp solar and a 500 kW biogas plant. The total investment amounted to 3.5 million Euro. Around 1100 of our members participated. Collecting the money commenced in June 2012 and within 10 months we were fully funded. All these investments kept us pretty busy until the beginning of 2014. At that time we were less than 10 people in the office for all the tasks at hand. Then, the government decided that Spain had produced more than enough renewable projects and could not afford paying any more feed in tariffs (FIT), so no more projects were going to be accepted, leading to a full stop in new project development.

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Click here for a French version of this article or here for a Spanish version.

Question for this article:

Are we making progress in renewable energy?

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Also, despite an unanimous parliamentary decision to quickly implement self-consumption legislation four years later, no practical solutions have been implemented. There is a small legal loophole so it is not impossible but the reality is that only a few hundred pioneers have put solar panels on their roof. The government tactics have been to delay coming up with anything practical and fair. So we are currently looking at legal proposal #3, with no net balance and a ´solidarity tax which makes you pay for all kWh you produce yourself, even the ones you use yourself instantaneously and so never enter the grid! So the solution that has created so much enthusiasm and citizen participation in other countries was firmly closed for our members.

With the two main mechanisms for increasing renewable production basically blocked, we started to look around for inspiration at other initiatives in Europe.

We were looking for a model that would allow us to:

– Set up new renewable energy projects (and not re-finance existing projects)

– Give a minimum return to our investors

– Not promise things we cannot deliver

– Make it easy for people to participate

– Create confidence for people to invest in projects with a life-time of 25 years (this in a Mediterranean country where 5 years is about as long term as things get)

– Allows everybody in Spain to participate, not just the people who have their own house and have a suitable roof for solar PV, but also people who rent an apartment with little practical possibilities to set up their own project

The project also started in the middle of the financial crisis though – he adds. – There was no access to banking financing of any sort whatsoever. Banks were simply closed. They were trying to manage existing business and reduce their losses and they weren’t interested in new business, certainly not a cooperative business without any financial background or any numbers behind it. However, because of those barriers we quickly realized that if anyone is going to make it work, it has to be us. We couldn’t rely on any support but therefore we became very focused and strategic.

We came up with our own model. With a mix of solar, wind and hydro projects around Spain we tried to simulate the typical demand curve of our members as well as possible. As there was no FITs, all projects had to compete in the ´market´ and even paid a 7% electricity production tax to the state. Only the most efficient projects guaranteed that the money invested would return, so we were looking at a solar project in the south of Spain with 1600 full-load hours, in very windy spots with over 2700 full-load hours and re-powering of hydro projects where the civil works were still in a good state and we ´only´ had to put in a new turbine.

Any of the 27,000 members we currently have can participate by making a special, 25-year loan to the cooperative at zero interest. Your investment is in the system and not in one specific technology. We all share the advantages and disadvantages of each project. For each 100 Euro participation, participants will get an estimated 170 – 200 kWh/year compensated on their electricity bill with Som Energia. Participants keep paying taxes, grid access fees, etc.

Simply get started!

– We do realize that our model isn’t easily replicable. There are many ways to do this successfully. But my advice to anyone who wants to start their own cooperative is simply get started! Find your own focus – whether it’s an energy efficiency project, local production, biomass or solar. Keep in mind that banks are paying historically low interest rates at the moment and that many people lost their trust in the banking system but they still wish to invest their savings in meaningful projects and get started!

(Thank you to Kiki Chauvin, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

Europe, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

UK: Corbyn and the Anti-war Movement

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

Excerpts from the newsletter of Stop the War Coalition – 2nd September 2016

As we approach the anniversary of 9/11, we should take stock of the fortunes of the “war on terror” over that time. None of the wars that started after 9/11 have ended, which is why we’ve had to maintain our anti-war campaigning.

stopthewar

The anti-war movement has provided one of the key fundaments for progressive politics in Britain, and has been a springboard for Corbyn’s rise to the position of Leader of the Labour Party.

In her recent article, Lindsey German pointed out:

“We did a great thing collectively with Stop the War. We have maintained it as an organisation and in the past year have seen a considerable increase in support, despite (or perhaps because of) the attacks on Corbyn. We are, I think, the major anti-war movement in any Nato country. The attacks from the right over the Syria bombing vote in 2013 showed the legacy of the movement and what damage we did. Ditto the Syria vote last year, used as a vicious attack on Jeremy Corbyn (and joined in by the pro-intervention left). There are many issues to debate about our history, and still a job to combat interventions in the Middle East and through Nato expansion.

Our conference next month marks the 15th anniversary of our movement. A time to say no to all the wars arising from the “war on terror”. And to continue our commitment to opposing the system our government is at the heart of, imperialism.”

Saturday 8th October • 10 – 5pm
TUC Congress House
23-28 Great Russell St
London, WC1B 3LS

The list of speakers includes Malalai Joya, Lindsey German, Tariq Ali, Salma Yaqoob, Brian Eno, Medea Benjamin, Phyllis Bennis, Maya Evans, Anas Altikriti, Chris Cole, Andrew Murray, Reg Keys and Mark Serwotka.

Sessions include:
Chilcot and the next steps for the movement • Armed and dangerous: Foreign policy after the US elections • The Middle East: Endless war? • Will the new Cold War turn hot? • Killing by remote control: Drones and geopolitics • The war on Muslims: Islamophobia and civil liberties

(Article continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

(continued from left column)

Please invite your Facebook contacts to the conference. The ticket prices are £15 standard and £10 concession. Groups of three or more are entitled to concessionary rates.

Book your place here.

One Big No – A Stop the War benefit
Friday 7th October • 7.30pm
Shaw Theatre, 100-110 Euston Road
London, NW1 2AJ

Starring:
Francesca Martinez • Richard Herring • Stewart Lee • Grace Petrie • Steve Gribbin • Boothby Graffoe • Michael Rosen

Join us for a fun night of comedy, poetry and entertainment! One Big No marks 15 years of Stop the War, showcasing the strength of feeling for an end to Western wars. We are proud of the amazing line-up, which consists of some of the best comedians in the country. Please come along and support our movement for peace and social justice.

Ticket prices: Standard £20 I Solidarity £30 I Concession (limited) £15. Groups of three or more are entitled to concessionary rates. You can book here.

The Media, The Movements and Jeremy Corbyn
Thursday 15 September, 7pm
Student Central, Malet Street
WC1E 7HY

Speakers will include Ken Loach, Greg Philo, Lindsey German, James Schneider and Des Freedman.

As part of the Media Reform Coalition’s ongoing campaign for a media that informs, represents and empowers the public, this event will bring together media activists, workers and scholars to explore the media’s misrepresentation of progressive movements and voices and shape a response that does them justice.

Tickets are £5 and £3 concessionary. You can book your place here.

15 Years of the ‘War on Terror’ meeting in Liverpool during the Labour Party Conference

Monday 26 September • 7pm
Friends’ Meeting House
22 School Lane
Liverpool L1 3BT

Speakers will include Harry Leslie Smith, Brian Eno, Murad Qureshi, Andrew Murray and Carol Turner.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe

Incredible edibles : Rennes takes up urban, participative agriculture

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

Testimony by Matthieu Theurier to the Municipal Council of Rennes on June 27, reprinted on the website of the elected ecologists (translated by CPNN)

“Incredible Edibles” is a non-governmental movement that proposes citizens to produce fruits and vegetables at home and make the produces available freely to others.

Born in England, the movement is now spreading throughout the world.

Here in Rennes, at least 200 families are now participating in the Incredible edibles movement, sharing gardens that are now flourishing in all four corners of the city.

The approach of Incredible Edibles can offer spaces to garden for residents, can strengthen social ties, and promote the greening of the city. It offers free food and promotes the development of urban agriculture and therefore food autonomy of cities. Above all, it can educate for the protection of the environment and recreate the link between people in city and those in food production areas. As the urban population continues to grow, issues related to agriculture – including the preservation of the land – are less tangibly perceived by many of our fellow citizens. Recreating this link is a necessity for the future.

Incredible Edibles is now starting to develop specific criteria with the help of local voluntary collectives. The criteria aim to have cities take specific measures towards urban food production. The city of Albi is the first city to have been engaged in this effort. By adopting the proposal today, we can become the second city to do so in France.

(Click here for the original French

d-sustainable, Europe

Rennes, France: 210 000 inhabitants move towards food self-sufficiency!

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Positivr (translated by CPNN)

Food self-sufficiency is not a utopia, it is a realistic and necessary goal! Following the example of Albi , now a second large French city has also recognized and ’embarked on an ambitious civic and ecological transition program. Here is a close up of this exemplary initiative!

Rennes
Video of food self-sufficiency of Albi

The city following the example of Albi is Rennes. In order to ensure there is never a lack of food, to support the local economy and to ensure healthy food for their children, the community of Rennes voted last June 27 for a proposal that could change the lives of its 210 000 inhabitants! [Editor’s note: For the presentation and vote on this question, see item 101 by M. Theurier on the agenda of the Council of Rennes, June 27 as shown in the preceding link. The text of his presentation may be found here.]

To achieve food self-sufficiency, the municipality has set aside an area of ​​agricultural production estimated at 30 000 hectares. But this is not the only thing needed.

Elected officials have decided to promote organic urban agriculture, agro-ecology, permaculture, Associations for the maintenance of peasant agriculture (Amap) , education in healthy eating … and collaboration of all people!

Indeed, food security is only possible with a massive participation of citizens. These will be invited and encouraged to be informed consumers … but also to become themselves conscientious producers!

The program is also supported by the organization “Incredible Edible” of Rennes whose ambition is the reconquest by the inhabitants of urban areas. Objective: everyone starts to grow organic fruit and vegetables wherever possible and to support a free collective redistribution of production!

Eat well and never lack food while respecting the planet … these simple concrete decisions adopted in the anonymity of city councils are worthy of international conferences!

In the video of Albi (see above) we see deliberations that could change everything (the tone is very serious … but it’s because the subject is too!)

“Think globally, act locally”: the famous expression of Jacques Ellul takes on its meaning. If change is to come, it must come from the bottom up. Albi and Rennes lead the way. Talk to your mayors and enlarge the movement!

(Click here for the original article in french)

Question for this article:
Europe, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Madrid Mayor: “Cities can end the democratic apathy”

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article by Rubén Amón, Mathieu de Taillac, and Alessandro Oppes in El Pais English Reprinted for non-commercial purpose and abbreviated by CPNN

In this joint interview by EL PAÍS, Le Figaro and La Repubblica, Manuela Carmena takes stock of her first year in office and talks about politics, ideology and the larger role of cities in the world. . .

Madrid2

Question. Do you think there is a feminine sensitivity in the way public affairs are run in some places? There are female mayors in Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid…

Answer. Yes. I have insisted repeatedly on the fact that women’s culture is more closely linked to daily, practical affairs. It is the culture of life. Development policies underscore the active role of women, their role in family economics. Poverty programs rely on women. If there had been women at the helm of Spain’s parties after the December 20 election, we would have had an agreement.

Q. What about the debate over big cities that take on state-level issues, from the environment to immigration?

A. Cities are taking on many powers that we have lawfully won. It happened with the refugees. We reached deals with the UNHCR to carry out a refugee welcome plan. We have the ability to set up structures, emergency services. It’s simpler for us than for a big state apparatus. We have taken in people who arrived through irregular channels. They were helped. We have networks that the state lacks. We have to move on from a functional role to one of real power. We are closer to the problems on the ground.

Q. Do you consider it necessary to implement a cooperation network among the great European capitals?

A. There is a link among the cities. There are common concerns. I am thinking about participatory budgets. We did it in Madrid, but they could be organized with other cities for common projects. Lisbon, Paris and Madrid form a historical axis. Cities can end the democratic apathy. And like [UN Secretary General] Ban Ki-moon says, apathy is poison to democracy. European cities can counter this lack of mobilization. We need a framework for the relationship among them. We are capitalizing on a way of living history. We are in a position to master a formal framework that that has surpassed the capacity of nations. Communications have put an end to borders, they have destroyed them. Cities have become the arena with the greatest potential for citizen empowerment.

(Article continued in right column)

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article)

Question related to this article:

 

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

(Article continued from left column)

Q. At the same time, a major competition is now underway over the “bounty” represented by Brexit.

A. There is a loyal competition underway. Madrid is very well placed – because of our growth potential, our young people’s talent and our competitive salaries. Also, Madrid is a very safe city, its transportation system is practically unmatched and the climate is extraordinary. We need to make the most of all those qualities.

Q. The Paris attacks led Madrid to organize a Peace Forum, to try to implement together with the French capital a preventive policy of sorts.

A. Yes, because we are aware that the big cities are also host to negative elements and a breeding ground for violence – from gender violence to young criminal gangs. It all needs to go through a pro-peace education. And it starts at school. We want children to learn the value of dialogue and mediation, and for them to learn to solve their own problems among themselves.

Q. But don’t you get the impression that all the major attacks in London, Paris, Madrid and Brussels have created a terrorist psychosis?

A. No matter how much cities feel psychosis over terrorism, citizens will not give up on life in their city. I did not see such a psychosis in Paris. I don’t see it in Madrid, either, despite our own experience with terrorism. Cities do no give up on the notion of life that easily. And they are less susceptible than it may seem from the outside.

Q. You’ve already said you will not seek re-election. What kind of city would you like to leave behind?

A. I would like to have achieved two things. For people to value the change in attitude, the closeness to the citizens, the clean ethics. And for them to appreciate the improvements to the city: Madrid will have more flowers, it will be greener and cleaner, more balanced and more fair.

(Thanks to the Global Campaign for Peace Education for publicizing this article).

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Europe